Russia - SU jumps on the status match bandwagon

I guess this rather belongs here than on the Skyteam board or in the Other European Programs as this mainly of benefit to people who do a lot of flying domestic in Russia where SU Elites get lounge access

http://eng.aeroflotbonus.ru/cards.aspx?ob_no=806417

So after they gave out Gold cards to everyone on the inaugural flight to DRS SU will now match everyone's status in any non-Skyteam FFP. Looks like the new lounges - when SVO3 finally opens - will be quite busy for a while.

So, you have to be an elite on another airline and fly SU to the UK, Germany or Japan once in order to get the status match? Seems easy! Thanks for posting this!

You have to be an elite member with any airline that is not in Skyteam (it says so in the teaser (http://eng.aeroflotbonus.ru/news.aspx?ob_no=248&d_no=806359)), register for this promo before October 31 and fly once FROM the UK, Germany or Japan before December 31. As it does not say this needs to be return flight so, technically, flying TO one of those countries and back might have the same result (as the inbound flight of your return ticket would be the necessary segment FROM the UK, Germany or Japan to Russia).

Thanks for the information. I'll try to take advantage of this with my upcoming SXF-SVO flight next week. Technically, I may not qualify (I am OK Plus member but with no status - unfortunately I entered my FF # when I made the booking), but we'll see - maybe it slips through. Given the absence of *A in OVB, it would be nice :)

Technically, I may not qualify (I am OK Plus member but with no status - unfortunately I entered my FF # when I made the booking), but we'll see - maybe it slips through.

If you haven't taken the trip yet, call SU and ask them to delete your OK+ number from the booking and put your SU number in. I'm sure they'll be happy to have a LH SEN defect :D

After a near year of being Gold (yawwwwwn) with SU I am just short saying "don't bother." The lounge access is the only perk I think is really worth it and I get that via being a Delta PM. Obviously there is nothing to lose if they are giving status away but as ELITEGOLDTRAVELLER told me last year don't expect too much from SU when you hit their top tier. It is definitely a program that could use some enhancements.

Thanks. Also, OK+ gives more miles. My (not so) cheapo W fare yields 100% at OK+, but would get me only 50% on SU, if I get it right. Redemption - award ticket SXF-SVO-OVB is 50k with Aeroflot Bonus, but only 30k with OK+.

Let me do the maths - with OK Plus I get one round trip per six paid ones, with SU I'd need around 20 :(

I guess I'll just keep my OK+ number in there, and still give it a try ... let's see what comes out of it.

As SU Gold, do you also get the VIP marshrutka to/from the aircraft?

As SU Gold, do you also get the VIP marshrutka to/from the aircraft?

No but that is a good idea. VIP International is the only way to get that.

I and a colleague are going to begin a dialogue with a top manager tomorrow at SU concerning some other issues and I might bring this up as a great benefit. Of course right now if they would just credit my SU flights without me having to go online 30 days later, fill out a form, wait 30 more days, fax stuff in, call in, and so on I would be fine. Getting them to post my Alitalia or Delta flights to my Bonus account is also torture but surely they can get their top elite's flights posted when it is on their own metal.

Like I said, don't expect much.

The OK+ earning/redeeming option though is intriguing. Tell me more. Any advantage to having a European address for OK+ as compared to a US address?

A direct transfer from the C lounge to the aircraft happened to me a few times when traveling in C on SU - but maybe just in smaller airports (ASF comes to mind) and depending on the airport setup.

OK+ redemption - they have only two zones for Russia (West and East), and OVB is in the western zone. Award tix are the same to OVB as to say SVO. For almost all booking classes on SU (except G, N, U) miles are earned at 100%. I am not aware of any difference for U.S. vs. European address.

So it looks like I'll keep my OK+ # in the reservation, but will hit them up for the SU Gold card anyway ;)

So it looks like I'll keep my OK+ # in the reservation, but will hit them up for the SU Gold card anyway ;)

Well, I know it doesn't really say anywhere you've got to credit the flight in question to SU Bonus but still... least they start inventing new rules, can you delete your OK number from the PNR, not put any FFP number in its stead and then retroclaim your miles with OK+ after SU matches your status? That's what I'd do - but I've been known to be overcautious with things like that...

Oh, and as to zoning - does anyone know if it's true that US treats the whole of Russia as being in North Asia, right there with China and Mongolia? This might open some options :)

Oh, and as to zoning - does anyone know if it's true that US treats the whole of Russia as being in North Asia, right there with China and Mongolia? This might open some options :)

US meaning US carriers? I know that early on OVB was viewed at Europe by DL when SU first was a part of ST. CO also viewed it that way for a good bit longer than DL did. That changed about a year after they joined though and folks figured out Russia was made up to 2 continents.

My understanding from the partner desk at Delta is that everything from the Urals to the Pacific is North Asia. I've not asked in about 6 months but I've heard nothing to make me think this has changed.

Does that help?

Well, I know it doesn't really say anywhere you've got to credit the flight in question to SU Bonus but still... least they start inventing new rules, can you delete your OK number from the PNR, not put any FFP number in its stead and then retroclaim your miles with OK+ after SU matches your status? That's what I'd do - but I've been known to be overcautious with things like that...


I thought about your suggestion ... in the end I didn't do it. For me, the OK+ miles are more of a benefit than the SU Gold status, based on woody125's feedback, and I try to avoid the retroactive claiming. I sent off the application to SU by email, let's see what happens - I'll keep you posted.

After a near year of being Gold (yawwwwwn) with SU I am just short saying "don't bother." The lounge access is the only perk I think is really worth it and I get that via being a Delta PM. Obviously there is nothing to lose if they are giving status away but as ELITEGOLDTRAVELLER told me last year don't expect too much from SU when you hit their top tier. It is definitely a program that could use some enhancements.

At SVO2, SU declined my access to their business lounge. :(

Oh, and as to zoning - does anyone know if it's true that US treats the whole of Russia as being in North Asia, right there with China and Mongolia? This might open some options :)

I can tell you that US Airways treats the entire Russia as North Asia, I found it out the hard way, when booking my trip in C class this year using US Airways miles. It required 10K more miles from the States to go to Moscow, but on the other hand, it opens up some interesting opportunities for traveling to the actual Asian side of Russia.

At SVO2, SU declined my access to their business lounge. :(

Did you get an invite from the ticket counter when you checked in? That's the only way I've ever been allowed in. I showed a stack of Elite Plus cards once when I did not have an invite and they shooed me away. As the Russians say, "without paper(s), you are a bug."